Painful Truth
by bellelover001
Summary: Beckett gets hurt and Castle has to take her in. Read the story to see what it's like for Beckett to stay at Castle's apartment for an extended period of time.
1. Chapter 1

So, an idea came to mind, and I thought I would write about it. Granted, I haven't read much Castle fanfic, but I felt it wouldn't hurt to do this. I hope you guys enjoy reading this nonetheless!

I do not own any of the characters.

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**Painful Truth**

Chapter One

Castle paced around the hospital lobby. He never thought something this tragic would happen. It was just a normal day, so how did it go so wrong?

The doctor came out. He walked over to Castle, who had brought her in himself.

"Have a seat, Mr. Castle," Dr. Davis instructed.

Castle sat down on the chair, and Dr. Davis followed.

"So, how is she doing, Doctor?" Castle inquired.

"She's in considerable pain; it's going to take her a while to recover. Given her lean body, someone should watch over her care at home. I presume you live with her?"

Castle was shocked that he had assumed. "No, we just work together, that's all."

"Uh huh..." Dr. Davis continued. "So does she live by herself?"

"Yes she does."

"Then I advise that she stays with you, or someone else she knows well. There is no way given her condition that she can live on her own for the next couple weeks. Does she have family?"

"Yes, she does have her father."

"All right, she could stay with him."

Castle paused before asking a question. "So, how bad is she?"

"Her spinal cord got hit a little, but it's nothing major that would cause pernament damage. Her abdomen was hit hard, so it will take the longest to recover. In particular, her liver was hit the hardest, which got a little bruising. Her stomach was slightly affected with bruising as well from the way she was hit by the car. She also had some internal bleeding in addition to all the bruising. Luckily with the timely response we were able to minimize the effects of the internal bleeding. Knowing her body, though, I say it's best she's under some assistance in healing. The damage may not be permanent, but it's serious based on her physical state and well-being."

Castle stared in horror. Never in his life would he have thought that the impact did that much damage. Surely she didn't look like she was in that much pain. Then again, she was a tough woman.

"I'm gonna go call her dad and let him know about this. You have his number?" Dr. Davis asked.

Castle paused a little, not expecting that question. "Uh, no, actually. But I'm sure she has it on her cell phone."

"No good. Cell phone's not functioning."

"Then call the precinct, I'm sure Montgomery would know."

"Thanks." Dr. Davis got up to call her work place, leaving Castle by himself in the hospital lobby. Castle stayed sitting this time, only he bounced his right leg in anticipation.

About fifteen minutes later, Dr. Davis came back.

"I called her father. He would love to take her in, but he's away and would not be able to do so. That leaves you to take care of her. Would you be willing to do that?" After a quick pause, Dr. Davis added, "I would give you all the infomation you need to take care of her properly."

"Of course," Castle said with no hesitation. "What would I need to do?"

"She'll need proper bed rest, more than anything. She also needs to be sure to eat the proper food, in particular foods high in vitamin C. I'll write you up more detailed instructions, as in good food for her to eat, when she's ready to leave. For now, you can go home, because we want to monitor her behavior and be sure she's stable enough before we release her."

"Understand," Castle replied.

During the ride back to his apartment, Castle kept going over the scenario in his mind. He wanted to forget about it, but it was like a plague that wouldn't go away.

As he swung the door open, Alexis and Martha were in the kitchen, almost as if they were waiting for him.

"Hey Dad!" Alexis called out.

"Hey," was all that Castle could muster at the moment.

Alexis knew something was wrong. The tone of his voice and the look on his face gave it away. "Is something wrong?"

Martha turned her head to see what was going on. She wanted to make a dry quirk, but after seeing her son's face, there was no way she could.

Castle walked his way over to the counter to talk to them. He took a deep breath, then said the heaviest two-word phrase from the entire day. "It's Beckett."


	2. Chapter 2

I know this is a quick update, but I'm just getting familiar with the website and want to keep this on the same track as my postings on another site.

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Chapter Two

Alexis couldn't believe her ears. "What's wrong with Beckett?"

Castle sat down. This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be shared with them. They both cared about Beckett, so it was only fair they knew what happened.

Castle began. "We were leaving the precinct, having just solved a case. We needed a break before we went back to work, and we also needed to eat. Beckett wanted to show me a new place she had just discovered that she felt I would love. As we were walking over, we had to cross a busy intersection. We had the right of way, but apparently this one guy was a nutcase. He was clearly going to run the red light, even with pedestrians in the crosswalk. We were right in the middle and if we didn't move, we were going to get hit. I saw him and ran out of the way, but Beckett didn't see until too late. She got hit hard and fell on the street. The car continued driving, making it a hit and run. Surprisingly, he was able to maneuver around the other traffic and not get hit himself. No one got a good view of the license plate, though. I called for an ambulance, knowing that we needed to get her to the hospital. She didn't attempt to get up immediately once the car was gone, so I knew something was wrong. When the ambulance came, I went in with her, since she needed someone by her side."

Alexis was the first to speak up after a long pause. "Is she doing okay?"

"Yeah, the hospital is finishing up monitoring her health. The injury is quite serious, though," Castle replied.

"How so?" Alexis inquired.

"She's got some internal bruising. Knowing her body can be fragile, the doctor wants someone to help her recover. Which is why she'll be staying here with us for a bit."

"Oh, how charming!" Martha butted in.

Castle gave her a quick look. "I think it would be best if she stayed in my room while she rests up, and I'll sleep on the couch."

"You sure about that, Dad?" Alexis said. "There's nothing in there you don't want her to find?"

"Oh, I'm clearing all that stuff out and putting it in your room," Castle said as he looked at Martha.

"Oh, very funny," Martha started. "You are not putting any of your silly toys into my room."

"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you," Castle replied.

Castle was standing up to go clean out his room when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Dr. Davis calling from the hospital. We feel that Katherine Beckett is stable enough to leave us, so you can come pick her up now."

"Okay, thanks, I'll be right over."

Castle went over to the hospital as fast as circumstances allowed. When he arrived, Dr. Davis came out with Beckett. Except for her abdomen area, everything about her looked okay.

"Hey Castle," Beckett said in a semi-weak voice.

"Hey," Castle replied as he walked up to her. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Beckett replied. She then proceeded to walk to the exit on her own. Castle was going to follow her when Dr. Davis put a hand on his shoulder.

"Here's what she needs," Dr. Davis started. "I know it's not much, and I'm sure you could remember it, but I've had people forget the simplest of things."

"Of course," Castle responded as he took the paper.

"One more thing," Dr. Davis added as Castle folded the paper and put it in his coat pocket. Up ahead, Beckett had stopped, waiting for Castle.

Castle looked at Dr. Davis, waiting for him to finish the comment.

"Make sure that she doesn't work for at least a week. With all the physical activity that could arise, it might lengthen her recovery time."

"Will do," Castle replied. With that, he caught up to Beckett, and the two of them walked out of the hospital.

They caught a taxi, knowing that would be a safe way for Beckett to get back in one piece. Subway was too risky, and she didn't have enough endurance to walk anywhere. Not with a bad abdomen, at least.

Beckett just couldn't wait to get back home. She rested her head on the seat the whole time, just letting her surroundings pass by her. It would all be going back to normal, or as normal as it possibly could.

When she stepped out of the cab, though, after Castle had paid the fare, she wasn't expecting what she saw in front of her.

"Castle, this isn't my place."


	3. Chapter 3

New chapter! This may not have a cliffhanger of an ending, but don't worry, there are many chapters to come. Not all endings have to be cliffhangers, you know.

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Chapter Three

Castle opened up the door to his apartment. Beckett walked in as he held the door open for her, but only because she didn't want to be rude and refuse to go in.

"Castle, what's going on?" Beckett asked when they were finally in the apartment and able to focus on one another. She had been asking that question the whole way up, but Castle wouldn't say. She also tried to see if she could walk back out and get a taxi back to her apartment, but Castle kept too close an eye and grip on her to let her do otherwise.

"The doctors want me to look over your health while you recover from the accident," Castle finally replied when they were safe in the apartment. He knew this battle would work better on his ground, more than anything.

"Castle, I can look after myself. Now please-"

"Doctor's orders, Beckett. You are to stay here and rest up. Martha and Alexis will take good care of you, as will I."

"Castle, really I can-"

"No, I can't leave you alone-"

"Yes you can, now please let me-" Beckett said as she headed for the door.

"No, I can't." Castle interrupted as he grabbed her wrist. Again.

"Yes you can." Beckett said as she turned her head back, stopped in her tracks.

"No I can't, Beckett-"

"Castle-"

"Please Kate." He had that look on his face, the one that showed he cared. Almost puppy dog eyes, but not completely and fully there.

Beckett sighed a little and diverted her eyes. For some reason, she could see where this was going if she kept up her act. While she did want to take care of herself, and she knew she could, Beckett only knew this would get them nowhere. When she was ready, her gaze went back on Castle. "Okay, I'll stay here, but only because it was the doctor's orders." She didn't like giving in so easily, but she knew if Castle was insistent on something, it would be best to listen. He could be just as stubborn as she was, and this seemed like one of those times.

Castle let go of his grip on her wrist as she turned to face him again. Beckett had submitted, so there was no need for him to hold her down anymore. Plus, if she did try to leave, he had her spoken word that she would stay. No way he would let her forget about that, but then again, Beckett probably wouldn't forget it herself.

Alexis appeared at the top of the steps and saw that her dad had come home with Beckett, as he said he would. "Beckett!" she called as she came down the steps to see her.

"Hey Alexis!" Beckett replied.

Shortly thereafter, Alexis joined her dad, standing by his side. Castle put his arm around her shoulder and did a one-arm hug, even if it was more of a squeeze. Alexis smiled playfully in response to this gesture.

Beckett let Castle and Alexis have their father-daughter moment when a thought entered her mind. "So, if I'm staying here, where will I be sleeping?" she inquired.

"Since we are lacking any extra beds, you will be staying in my bed."

"Castle, I-"

"No, I insist. I will sleep down here on the couch. Heck, I've fallen asleep in my chair while writing."

"It's true," Alexis verified.

Beckett was still slightly hesitant. "Are you sure you don't mind me staying in your room?"

"Please, it's the least I can do for you."

Beckett paused, then nodded her head in agreement. "Okay, Castle." She was the guest, and seeing how willing he was to give up his room, she didn't want to be a rude guest. If there was anything her mom taught her about being a guest in someone's house, it was to be respectful of the host's wishes.

"So it's settled. You will rest up in my room. But first, you need to eat." Castle walked over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. As it turned out, there was some fruit salad left over from Alexis' picnic the day before. "They didn't want the fruit salad, Alexis?"

"No, apparently a lot of people brought fruit. Of course, my friends had some, but still."

"Do you mind if I give some to Beckett as a snack?"

"Dad, of course I don't mind! That's why I brought it home - so we could enjoy it."

Castle pulled out a couple bowls and scooped some of the fruit salad into them. He served one bowl to Beckett and another one to Alexis.

"All right, I gotta go upstairs for a bit, but I'll be back." Castle kissed Alexis on the top of her head. "Be in bed by eleven."

"Dad, I've told you: I'll be in bed by ten-thirty. School night, remember?"

Castle smiled as he walked away. Going up to his room, he made sure it was Beckett-proof. No porn collection, nothing too revealing... Everything Castle wanted to remove he put in a cardboard box, which then got slipped into Martha's bedroom under her bed. It was his favorite place to hide items of that nature.

Once that was done, he went back down to tell Beckett the news. "Everything's all set for you to settle into my bedroom."

"Thank you Castle," Beckett responded. While she had stayed in Castle's place one night before, no thanks to that awful explosion she managed to survive, it was nice to see that she was still welcome.

Castle had seen Beckett had finished her fruit salad. "I'll take that if you're done." Beckett gave him the bowl, and he put it in the sink to get washed.

It had been a long day, so Beckett decided to go upstairs and go to bed. "Night Castle. Night Alexis," Beckett stated as she stood up. She climbed the stairs and then crawled into bed. The hospital had pretty much exhausted her, even if she didn't do much work there. Shortly after, Beckett drifted off to sleep.

Castle had quietly climbed the steps behind Beckett. He wanted to be sure she was comfortable. He quietly looked on through the door creak, and smiled when she was sleeping soundly.

Castle crossed paths with Alexis as she was going to bed herself. Castle proceeded to lay down on the couch. With a pillow and a blanket he grabbed from his bedroom before, he soon drifted off to sleep on the couch, as he said he would.


	4. Chapter 4

There's not much for me to really say about this chapter, just that I had fun writing it, and I hope you enjoy the ending.

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Chapter Four

Even though he didn't have his alarm, Castle still woke up on time to help get Alexis ready for school. He made sure to make breakfast for Beckett, though he didn't know when she would be up. Sure enough, Beckett came down the steps before Alexis had finished eating her breakfast.

"Morning Beckett," Castle said as he saluted with the spatula.

"Morning Castle," Beckett replied.

"Morning Beckett," Alexis chimed in.

"Morning Alexis," Beckett returned the greeting.

"I made you some breakfast," Castle continued. He put the plate of food out on the plate mat, which included scrambled eggs, a few strips of bacon, and two slices of french toast. There was orange juice to drink in a small glass, which had already been out.

"Thank you Castle," Beckett replied with a small grin. She sat down and started eating .

"So, I was thinking, if you're staying here, you're gonna need clothes and such," Castle continued. "I was thinking we could swing by your apartment now, since you got some rest and fuel in your system."

"That sounds good," Beckett started as she put her fork down. "But why didn't we stop there last night?"

"Because if we did, you might not have listened to doctor's orders," Castle retorted. "And I wasn't really thinking."

Alexis took the last bite of her scrambled eggs. Looking at the time on her watch, she needed to get to school. "Bye Dad! Bye Beckett!" Alexis said as she grabbed her backpack and headed out the front door.

"Bye Alexis," Castle and Beckett called out at the same time as she was heading out. They exchanged glances, Castle thinking it was cute and Beckett not expecting it to happen.

Once Castle and Beckett had finished eating, they got their jackets and hailed a taxi to get to Beckett's apartment. Once they arrived, they went inside and Beckett started packing a small suitcase. Nothing too bulky, but enough for the time she would be spending at Castle's place.

"May I help with anything?" Castle offered.

"No thanks, I think I got this," Beckett replied. She looked up at him for a quick second, and then went on to continue packing.

While Castle was waiting, he sat on the comfortable couch in the living room, contemplating what it would be like to have Beckett staying at his place. Sure, they worked together, and it was only for a couple weeks, but...

Castle's thoughts got interrupted when Beckett came out with her suitcase. "Ready Castle," Beckett stated. In truth, she was ready earlier, but Beckett took her time getting her items together, and she was wondering how staying at his place for an extended amount of time would turn out. It wasn't until she realized that she had been standing with a suitcase packed and ready to go for a minute that she thought they should get going.

When they got back, Castle was going to make lunch. However, as he opened the fridge, he noticed he was missing an ingredient for cooking dinner that night.

Knowing it wouldn't take him a long time to go to the store and back, Castle shut the fridge. "I'll be right back," Castle said as he headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Beckett inquired.

"To the store to pick up something for dinner tonight," Castle replied as he slipped on his jacket.

"Uh huh..." Beckett let out after his response.

Castle opened the door, but turned back before he went out. He wanted to get one last quick look at Beckett before he left.

Beckett sat at the counter for a couple minutes, then remembered something she had to do. She grabbed her coat and left without a note of anything to say where she was going. May not have been super important, but she felt if she didn't go now, she would forget all about it. All Beckett knew was that this task was on her mind and she didn't think of doing anything else until it was completed.

Castle came back from the store, expecting to see Beckett somewhere on the ground floor. As he entered the apartment, though, something didn't feel right. He put the milk in the fridge, then walked around a little. Not seeing Beckett, he decided to call her name.

"Beckett!"

There was no response. He waited a little bit before calling out again.

"Kate!"

Still nothing. That meant Beckett wasn't in the apartment. If she wasn't here, and she had everything she needed from her apartment, that meant the next place she would probably go is...

He took the sheet of paper out from his coat pocket. He was going to go over everything for lunch today, which he was going to make now!

Castle immediately left the apartment, heading over as fast as he could to the one place he knew he could find Beckett.


	5. Chapter 5

All right, everyone who's been guessing the place will figure out where Beckett went. No, I'm not giving it away now. More angst between Castle and Beckett, along with the start of a small side plot. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Chapter Five

Along the way, Castle had been calling the precinct on and off, trying to get a hold of Beckett, knowing her cell phone was still getting repaired. However, she wasn't picking up her line. He figured she was just having coffee in the break room, but he knew he needed to talk to her. By the time he reached the precinct, though, there was no need to continue calling her.

Even though Beckett was filling out some information in a few forms from the case they had just solved, she was getting thirsty. She headed over to the break room and got herself a drink. As it turns out, an one of the relatives from the case stopped by to say hello, so she ended up chatting with her for a little bit in the break room. They had a good time, but Beckett had to cut the conversation short, since she needed to organize the forms in their proper order. Beckett liked organization, even if the case was already wrapped up.

Castle walked out of the elevator and strolled over to Beckett's desk, right where she was sitting. Ryan and Esposito were there as well, but they were talking to each other, and he wasn't there to see them. He sat down in the new chair that was so much better than the old one Beckett used to prank him.

"Castle!" Beckett cried out a little when he sat down, not expecting him to show up. Not this quick, at least. She had only just gotten back to her desk when he arrived, more or less.

"Beckett, you are not supposed to be at work," Castle said. He knew it was his fault he didn't tell her before, but better late than never.

"It's just paperwork," Beckett retorted. In truth, she did have to fill out a few forms. Being back at work, though, made her feel more at home, more like the routine she had before this whole accident.

"No. Doctor's orders, you are not allowed to be at work for a week."

"Relax, I'm not going to take any cases."

"But what if one comes?" Castle said as he stood up.

Beckett paused, not knowing what to say.

Castle continued, taking this opportunity to keep himself in control. "No, you are not staying here. You are coming home with me."

"Since when are you the boss of me?" Beckett said as she stood up, coming to his level.

"Since I'm your caretaker. Doctor's orders," he said again as he pointed to the sheet of paper that he had pulled out from his coat pocket.

Beckett could not believe this, but Castle had a point. He cared for her health, and knew exactly where she would be. Beckett didn't show it, but deep down, she liked that Castle cared for her in that way; there was something special about it.

From the sidelines, Montgomery had been watching the whole ordeal. He had gotten the call from the hospital, and was concerned for Beckett's health as well when he heard the news. He had been doing busy paperwork himself when Castle and Beckett started talking, and that piqued his curiosity. Beckett didn't look too bad, but when she stood up, he could tell that she was hit hard. No, he did not want his best detective to be working, not when a hard case could come up. It was hard enough convincing her when the FBI was around, so he was content watching from the sidelines this time and letting Castle do the heavy lifting.

Luckily, Castle escorted Beckett out of the precinct, which made Montgomery feel better. He went over to Ryan and Esposito, just to see how they were doing.

"Any luck catching that dirtbag?" Montgomery asked them.

"Not yet," Esposito replied.

"We're working on it," Ryan added.

"Well I want you to keep working," Montgomery almost commanded them. He left to go back into his office and do more Captain-related things. Ryan and Esposito exchanged glances, then continued doing their work.

"Think we'll catch him?" Ryan inquired.

"Who knows," Esposito started. "I haven't been having much luck."

"Yeah, me either," Ryan added.

-------

Castle walked Beckett back into the apartment after grabbing lunch on the go. It was while they were eating at a small diner that Castle talked to Beckett about Dr. Davis' orders. Beckett listened intently and agreed with what he had to say. Even though Beckett hadn't done much physical activity aside from walking, she felt it would be best to rest when they were back inside, safe at his apartment. She sat down on the couch, and then slowly laid herself down, wanting to simply relax.

"Kate, you got a bed you can rest on," Castle stated matter-of-factly.

"No, Castle, I'm good," Beckett replied. Even if Castle called her 'Kate', she would still call him Castle; it was simply natural for her.

"No, you should relax on a nice, comfy bed." With that statement, Castle had walked over to the couch and offered Beckett his hand. He could tell that she needed to rest, just from the way she was acting. Plus, bed rest was on the to-do list for her recovery.

Even though the couch was just fine, Beckett took his hand after a little bit of exchanging glances between Castle's hand and face. He was really going out of his way, but for once, Beckett didn't seem to mind. This was a side to Richard Castle that Beckett didn't see all that often, and she enjoyed it.

When Beckett was standing again, Castle put his arm around her back for support. Slowly, they walked up to Castle's bedroom. Going down on the bed was easier for Beckett because the bed was higher up than the couch.

She rearranged herself a little bit on the bed, then settled in a good position that supported her back and relaxed her abdomen.

"You doing okay?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, I am now," Beckett responded. "Thanks," she added with a small grin.

"Anytime," Castle replied with a small grin of his own. "Is there anything I can get for you?" he inquired.

"A glass of water would be nice," Beckett answered.

"Glass of water it is," Castle repeated as he walked to the door. "I'll be right back," Castle stated as he headed out the door and down to the kitchen to grab the drink.

Castle opened the fridge and poured some filtered water into a tall glass. He also grabbed an apple and a banana, in case she wanted a snack.

As he turned around to go bring the drink and snacks up to Beckett, he nearly bumped into someone, and shrieked a little as a result, not expecting anyone to be behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Wow, I had a more variety of guesses as to who was behind Castle when he shrieked than when Beckett left the apartment! I had fun writing this chapter and exploring some other aspects I want to get into later in the fanfiction. I hope you guys enjoy!

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Chapter Six

Martha had just come back from a meeting with her agent. Honestly, she did not know why he expected her to do half the roles he handed her! Either way, she needed a glass of wine to wind down. She walked into the kitchen right behind Castle and was grabbing a wine glass when he shrieked. She jumped a little and almost dropped the glass when that happened.

"Honestly, Richard," Martha exclaimed, "when will you learn to control yourself?"

"Oh ho, very funny," Castle retorted, once he realized it was only his mother. "What are you doing home at this hour?"

"I was coming back from a meeting, and I need to unwind."

"Really? Wine before dinner?"

"What? Can't a woman drink when she wants?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then I'm going to have a drink." With that, Martha grabbed a bottle of red wine she had already opened and poured herself a glass.

Castle shook his head as he headed for the stairs. When he got back to his room, he put the glass on the bedside table along with the apple and banana.

"Thank you Castle," Beckett replied as he set the items down. When she looked again, though, she noticed the fruit. "What's this?"

"Just a snack in case you got hungry," Castle replied.

Beckett smiled again. "You didn't have to," she said.

"Yeah, well..." Castle paused for a quick second. "I thought it wouldn't hurt." A small, almost childish grin came across his face.

"Well, I appreciate it, Castle," Beckett responded.

"You're welcome," Castle said. "If you need anything, let me know."

"I will," Beckett said.

Castle walked out the door, not wanting to impose his presence on her. Before he headed back down, as his hand was on the handle, he asked, "Do you want me to close the door?"

Beckett thought a little before responding. "Yeah," she finally chose, and Castle did so. She wanted a little personal space to reflect on all that's been happening. She was the victim in an accident, and now she was staying at Castle's place recovering, on doctor's orders. More than anything, Castle was treating her like a lady, not acting like the boy he usually was back at work in the precinct. It was a different side, yes, and while it did come out from time to time, he was really going out of his way, even if it had only been a day. She took a drink of water, and then grabbed a book from her suitcase and started reading.

Castle went back downstairs and settled on the couch. Martha was relaxing in one of the chairs closeby.

"How's Beckett?" Martha inquired.

"She's doing good," Castle answered.

A small pause lingered before Martha finally spoke. "Well, you are being quite the gentleman, Richard."

"I'm just giving Beckett what she needs," Castle retorted.

"No, you're giving her more than that," Martha replied as she pointed her wine glass, which still had some red wine, at Castle.

"What makes you say that?" Castle challenged as he leaned forward a little bit to look at her.

"Well, for one thing, you gave up your entire bedroom for her," Martha started. "And now you're serving her meals. You're getting her snacks. You're escorting her around."

"Okay, I get what you're saying," Castle caved, leaning back on the couch, but only in a small manner. "But why do you even care?"

"Well, she's staying here for a couple weeks, Rick," Martha continued her point. "And you've made quite the statement already." With that, Martha was off to who knows where. She had put her wine glass on the counter before she grabbed her coat and headed out the door for any reason unbeknownst to everyone else.

Castle started to contemplate to himself. Yes, Beckett was a guest, but his gestures were only because he cared for her health. What Martha said, though, did make him start to question his motives a little bit. He turned around on the couch and looked in the direction of his room. True, he did like her, otherwise she wouldn't be the muse for Nikki Heat. Castle couldn't help but wonder, though, if his feelings were truly running deeper. He turned back around, put his elbows on his knees as he rested his chin in his hands, and sighed, not knowing what to think at that moment. He cared for Beckett, yes, and he loved how tough and independent she was. He didn't expect these feelings to come out so strong now. Not when she was a guest and they were in common quarters.


	7. Chapter 7

This was a fluff chapter for me, but I had fun writing it. And the milk Castle had to get? It really was a dinner ingredient, for the au gratin potatoes. Yes, I know how to cook, and I simply love au gratin potatoes, so I had to throw a little me in there. Hope you guys enjoy!

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Chapter Seven

Castle was clearing the dinner table. He had been planning to make this dinner tonight before the accident, but having Beckett to share this meal with was nice.

"Castle, that was delicious," Beckett said as she sat at the counter.

"You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it," Castle replied.

"The pasta was delicious! And the au gratin potatoes? Simply amazing!" Beckett complimented.

Meanwhile, Alexis was setting up a board game. She had been meaning to have a tiebreaker in Sorry! against her dad, and tonight was their scheduled night.

When Castle was done cleaning up everything, he saw the board game out. "Sorry!" he exclaimed.

"What? You don't have to be sorry," Beckett replied with a quizzical look on her face, wondering why he would say such a thing.

"No, not you!" Castle said as he made his way over to the table. He sat down, getting his game face on. "Ready to get your butt kicked?"

"You wish," Alexis challenged.

Beckett realized what he had meant after that exchange. She smiled a little, happy to see Castle and Alexis having some quality time together. She watched from the side as they played the game with such intensity. Neither one was going to give in easily, but only one was going to win. They seemed to be having fun, though, which made Beckett smile even more.

Martha was enjoying the game as well, but took a moment to steal a glance at Beckett, watching from afar. Whether she was into the game, though, or simply watching Castle was up for debate... She took a sip of her after-dinner wine, and continued to watch the game for herself. After all, there was nothing better to do than see who would win.

Back in the actual game, Castle was making the risky moves, while Alexis was playing it safe. It wasn't until about three-quarters of the way through, though, that Alexis started getting aggressive and pulling out her own secret moves. Castle was prepared, but apparently, Alexis had been practicing on her own time, using moves that even surprised Castle. For the last quarter of the game, the tables were turned. Alexis was advancing rapidly, and quite frankly, was very close to a sweep. Castle was a bit perplexed, though, because he didn't want to lose the game.

The game didn't last long (no more than forty-five minutes), but in the end, it was Alexis who was victorious. "Who's Sorry! now?" Alexis said in light of her victory. "Pun intended, of course."

"You are good," Castle replied. "I now dub thee the champion of being Sorry!"

"Dad!" Alexis exclaimed.

"Kidding! You are the Sorry! champion," Castle replied.

"That's more like it," Alexis smiled.

Even though Alexis had won, she picked up the game and put it away because she wanted to. Castle proceeded to relax on the couch, but realized someone was missing. He turned to face the counter, and saw Beckett was still sitting there. "You were sitting there the whole time? You know you could've come over!"

"Yeah, well, I didn't wanna force myself," Beckett replied.

"Come join us!" Castle added, waving his hand in a gesture that said to come over here.

Alexis sat down on the couch as Beckett was making her way over. She brought her glass of water over with her, which she was still drinking. She decided to join them on the couch, since there was plenty of space for all three of them.

"So, is there anything you want to talk about?" Castle asked Beckett.

"Do you have any good crime stories?" Alexis chipped in.

"We've only heard his version," Martha added herself.

Beckett took a deep breath. "Want to hear about the last case?" she started.

"Yes! Please!" Alexis answered.

For the rest of the evening, the foursome told stories as the lights in the city went on outside of Castle's windows, relaxing just like a regular family would be doing. The best part was, it felt so real to all four of them; nothing was out of place.


	8. Chapter 8

So, part of this chapter was actually inspired by what appears to be a deleted scene from Boom! I was looking forward to watching. At least, there were promotion pictures that were published that did not end up making the final cut, it seems. I really wanted to see it happen, though, which is why I wrote my own small version. Yes, it's short, but I couldn't think of much else to write, and I didn't want to force it out of myself. You can say the talk is longer than I have it, and I imagine it would be. Ah well, at least I wrote part of it. Hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Eight

Castle set his cell phone alarm. He had a business meeting to attend in regards to the books, and he was not going to be late for it. Not when his publicist was involved, who gave him threatening notes to "drip honey on your eyeballs and let loose a hundred fire ants."

He didn't have time to really get breakfast made nice and neat, so he just cut a grapefruit in half and poured a glass or orange juice. He was about to pour a box of Cheerios into a bowl when Alexis came.

"Hey Alexis, what are you doing up?" Castle questioned.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you before you left today," she replied, kissing her dad on the cheek.

Castle smiled. He checked his watch, and he was running a little behind already."Alexis, could you deliver this up to Beckett when she's ready?" Castle asked. "I gotta get going!" he added as he headed for the door.

"Sure," Alexis answered back.

"Thank you!" Castle said, though he was practically out the door.

Alexis was getting hungry, so in addition to the breakfast for Beckett, Alexis made a small one of her own. It was only a bowl of cereal, but that was all she was hungry for that morning. She loaded all the food onto the tray Castle had brought out, and carried it upstairs.

Alexis listened for any signs of movement. As it turns out, she heard a rustling of the covers and one of the bedside lamps. Balancing the tray in one hand, Alexis knocked on the door. "Breakfast," she called through the door.

"Come in!" Beckett replied. The door handle turned, and it was Alexis coming through the door, using her back to swing the door open.

Alexis walked over to where Beckett was reclining in bed. Beckett was kind enough to open the legs from the bottom of the tray so it could function as a small table. Alexis grabbed her bowl of cereal, leaving the rest on the tray as Beckett's breakfast.

"Do you mind if I join you for breakfast, Detective?" Alexis inquired. In truth, she wanted to talk to her. Not a serious or important conversation, just a casual one, really. After all, it wasn't often that a woman stayed in their household this long; her dad was better known for his one-night stands.

"No, not at all," Beckett responded, with a small hand gesture that invited her to stay. She liked Alexis, and while Castle frequently came in and out every day, it was a nice change of pace to have Alexis join in. It also showed how the family was willing to help her, not just Castle, which only made her feel more welcome than she already was.

"Thanks," Alexis said, followed by her first bite of cereal.

"So, where's Castle this morning?" Beckett inquired first.

"He's off doing business stuff with his books. They're just small details, but he has to be there," Alexis responded.

"I see..." Beckett replied. She knew it was about the Nikki Heat series, which was based off of her. She was kind of hoping that once he got back, he would tell her any details that would pertain to her. Wanting to change the subject, Beckett spoke up after the small pause. "So, how's school going?"

"It's going well," Alexis said. "Got an a-minus on my Math test."

"Congratulations," Beckett said sincerely.

"Thanks," Alexis followed up, tilting her head down a little and slightly blushing. After a few seconds, she looked back up. "I am having a little trouble with my one English assignment, though."

"You need any help?" Beckett inquired.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Alexis replied. "For some reason, I'm just having trouble with this one concept."

"It happens," Beckett replied. "When you're ready to work on it, just bring your materials and I'll do my best to help."

"Thanks Detective," Alexis replied.

A small pause came after that. They had already talked about Beckett's cases, and there was nothing else interesting going on in Alexis' life that she hadn't already been sharing with her dad and Beckett. There was one question that was on Alexis' mind, though, and now seemed like the right time to ask.

"So, are you enjoying your stay here?" Alexis inquired.

Beckett paused a little before answering. "Actually, yes I am. More than I thought I would," she replied.

-x-

Montgomery was heading over to the break room to make himself a cup of coffee when he saw Esposito and Ryan hard at work. He figured they must be working on the case.

"Still haven't found anything?" Montgomery asked. He hadn't heard a thing from them, and he asked them to fill him in on any developments.

"Nope," Esposito responded, a bit of sadness in his face.

"Thank you," Ryan said as he hung up the phone. "Hey guys, I think we have a lead."

"What do you got?" Montgomery inquired.

"Check this out." Ryan pulled up a video on his computer screen, and played it a little bit. Montgomery and Esposito had come around to see what the video was.

About half a minute later, Ryan paused the video. He clicked forward a few frames, then zoomed in on a special detail.

The three men looked at the screen. Ryan and Esposito wrote the detail down, knowing it was a clue that would help crack this case.

"Well I'll be," Montgomery muttered to himself a little bit. "You know what to do," he told Ryan and Esposito affirmatively.

"Right," Ryan answered. He did a little more research on the computer, and then got his coat on to do some field work. Esposito put his coat on as well, and together, they left to find the detail they were looking for.


	9. Chapter 9

So, this chapter takes place a week after the accident, in case you couldn't tell by reading it. The start of the end of a subplot begins in this chapter... Hope that makes sense! Hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Nine

Castle woke up to the sound of his cell phone that morning. Normally he didn't get calls this early unless it was Beckett at a crime scene. Problem was, he knew she was up in his bed, so where did this call come from?

As he looked at the Caller ID, though, he saw it was Esposito.

"Castle," he answered on his end.

"Yo," Esposito replied. "How's Beckett doin'?"

"She's doing well," Castle answered the question.

"Listen, I'm callin' because we got something that you and Beckett might be interested in."

"We'll be there as soon as possible."

"Cool." Esposito hung up the phone.

Castle put down his phone and popped some bagels in the toaster. Once the coffee was getting brewed, he headed up to let Beckett know they had an appointment at the precinct. What the appointment was, though, he had no idea.

Castle knocked lightly on the door. "It's me, Castle," he said through the door. He didn't know if Beckett was getting changed or not, and he didn't want to be rude and just walk in. He learned that the hard way with his ex-wives.

"Just a sec," Beckett replied. She was just buttoning up her shirt for the day. Wearing her tee-shirts was getting a bit tiring, and she felt like looking nice today, even if she wasn't going anywhere. There are those days you just need to do something different, and this was one of them. When she finally did the last button, she walked over and opened the door herself.

Castle wasn't expecting Beckett to open the door, he was just waiting for the affirmative to come in. What Beckett was wearing, though, was gorgeous. A light, but bold blue collared button-up top untucked with neatly rolled-up sleeves, coupled with jet black pants. It was a nice look on her. Castle found himself staring a little longer than he probably should have, though, and caught himself before the moment got awkward.

"Esposito called," Castle started. "They want us to come down to the precinct."

"Really?" Beckett inquired. She took a small step back and shifted her weight, like she was thinking about the situation. "What's it for?"

"I dunno," Castle stated, "He didn't tell me anything else."

Beckett inspected Castle visually just like she would a criminal. His body stance was open, and the tone of his voice was serious, nothing to indicate he was lying. This meant one of two things: He was doing a really good job covering, which she knew he could do from their poker games, or he was telling the truth. Knowing it was Esposito only made it harder, since she knew how they had their moments. However, Castle looked sincere in the moment, and since she doubted he hadn't been to the precinct she had moved in temporarily, it was a safe bet he didn't know what was going on behind those doors.

During the whole time Beckett was inspecting, she realized not a word had been spoken. She took the first initiative to speak up after the silence that lingered. "So, should we get going?"

Castle nodded his head. "Yeah, we probably should," as he stepped off to the side and allowed Beckett to be the first one out.

"Thank you," Beckett said as she walked out in front of Castle, giving a small nod to show she appreciated the gesture. Castle came up on her left side, walking alongside her down the steps and to the kitchen.

"Lemme just get our breakfast ready," Castle stated as he got the bagels out of the toaster and put them on napkins. He headed over to the coffee machine after to get it ready in travel mugs. As Castle was pouring the first cup, though, he noticed Beckett had taken the knife and started spreading the cream cheese on the bagels.

"Thank you," Castle shared.

"Anytime," Beckett replied, smiling as she looked at him. When the coffee and bagels were ready, they were out the door, ready to see what Esposito had called them down for.

When they arrived at the precinct, breakfast finished along the way, Esposito came up to greet them.

"Nice to see you," Esposito addressed to both Castle and Beckett.

"Nice to see you," Castle nodded his head.

Beckett was more curious as to why they were called down and wanted to get down to it. "So, you said you wanted to see us?" she inquired.

"Yeah." Esposito started. "In addition to closing another case, we've been doing a little... extra work."

"What do you mean?" Beckett asked. Castle had a confused look on his face with that comment.

"You know the guy who sent you to the hospital?" Esposito returned to Beckett.

Beckett put an arm across her abdomen. Even though it had been a week, just the mention of it made her want to be protective of that area. The words were enough to bring back the memory, or lack thereof.

"When we were off duty here at the station, we used that time to try and find him. No one gets away with what he did," Esposito explained. Beckett smiled at his reasoning; the corners of Castle's lips turned up as well. "It took some investigating, but now," Esposito paused a little, as the group was standing outside the door to one of the interrogation rooms. "We finally caught the guy who was driving that car."

Beckett wasn't expecting Esposito to deliver that kind of information; she expected someone from another department to be telling her this. Then again, they were a close group, so she could see how Esposito and Ryan asked to investigate into this case themselves. The idea that Esposito and Ryan always had her back, even when she wasn't working, made her feel special to be a part of this homocide unit.

"We've been holding him because we thought you guys might wanna see us book 'im," Esposito continued. "We felt it was only fair, considering the situation," implying that Beckett was a victim and would want to see this guy get his justice served.

"Hit him hard," Beckett replied as she opened the door to the observation room, ready to witness this guy getting booked. Castle followed behind her, wanting to see this guy get his just desserts.


	10. Chapter 10

So now the sub-plot of the guy who hit Beckett is wrapping up. I hope you guys enjoy it! And there was a line I simply could not resist throwing in here! hehehe...

* * *

Chapter Ten

Chris Gray was not comfortable in the interrogation room. There was something about it that made him feel uneasy, like most other criminals. Being a skilled actor, however, he was able to mask his true feelings and put on a show for the two guys who entered the room and sat down in the chairs across the table.

Esposito walked into the interrogation room, Ryan followed closely behind. Ryan had been busy with some other work, but made it just in time to get the confession out of the guy.

Esposito began talking first after introductions. "Do you know why you're here?" he inquired of Gray, allowing him to possibly confess to his crime first, even if he had a feeling he wouldn't.

"I have no idea what you guys are talkin' about," Gray replied.

"You wanna do this the easy way or the hard way?" Esposito continued. Heck, it would make all their lives easier if he just confessed to the hit and run.

"Why am I here?" Gray insisted. He wanted to know why these so-called "cops" wouldn't just come out and say what this crime was.

"Just answer the question," Ryan added in.

From the other side of the window. Beckett and Castle were watching. Beckett was analyzing him just like she would be doing if she were in the room. Castle was giving him a scornful look. Neither of them liked this guy.

"Why don't we do this the fun way," Gray proposed.

"All right," Esposito nodded his head at Ryan.

Ryan returned the nod, and then pulled out a picture. "Do you recognize this car?" Ryan started in.

Gray looked at the picture for no more than a few seconds, and then turned his head back up. "I don't recognize the car," Gray said, but with a slight waver in his voice at the word "car." He knew why he was here now, and he had to try to keep up his innocent act, but his voice was slipping.

Esposito heard that waver and changed his tactic up a little. "Really? Because that car was reported missing a week ago, on the same day that you were nowhere to be found among your friends and family."

"So I needed a little break from them," Gray admitted. "That doesn't prove anything."

"Oh yeah? Then how did this security camera catch your breaking into the car?" Ryan retorted as he pulled out a surveillance picture that showed a guy breaking into the car. He proceeded to pull out more a few more pictures, one at a time, all of which kept revealing more and more that the guy was indeed Gray.

Gray started shifting uncomfortably in his chair after the last picture was revealed. A clear shot of his face, sitting in the car, getting ready to drive away.

"Did you have fun taking the car for a spin?" Esposito asked with a sarcastic tone.

Gray couldn't keep the act up much longer. They had evidence. They had proof. He looked into their faces, though. Something else seemed to be coming, he just didn't know what.

"So I took the car for a ride," Gray confessed with a bit of a casual tone in his voice. "What does that get me?"

Esposito and Ryan exchanged glances, as did Castle and Beckett. They got the guy to confess to the car, which was their big token. Now to prove that he did more than just steal the car. If this worked out, the guy was definitely serving time; they all knew it.

"We also noticed this same car, about half an hour later, approaching Houston and Bowery," Ryan continued, pulling out a couple more photos. Indeed, it was the same car.

"We checked the plates," Esposito added. "It's a match."

"So?" Gray asked. He wanted to hear from them where this was all leading.

"At this intersection, there were quite a few people crossing that had the right of way," Esposito continued.

"You ran the red light," Ryan added for emphasis. "We checked the time stamps, and that crosswalk was good for crossing."

"And in the process, you injured someone." Esposito pulled out two pictures that had been taken: one of the car just about to hit Beckett, and the other of the aftermath, with Beckett on the ground and Castle by her side.

Now Gray was getting worried. Yes, he hit someone, but he wasn't paying that much attention; he just enjoyed having the ride. But once he realized he had hit someone, there was no way he was sticking around. After all, he was the guy who did it, and he was hoping to not get busted. "All right, I'll admit, I hit someone," Gray confessed, knowing there was no way out of it now.

"But it wasn't just anyone; it was a police detective," Ryan continued, pulling out a headshot of Beckett.

"Bam said the lady," Castle said in a hushed tone behind the mirror, ecstatic that the guy was getting booked. Beckett smiled a little, proud to see the guys working their smarts on him. No one got past their team, and Gray was just learning that.

Gray didn't know what to say. A police detective? She wasn't even dressed like a cop! But he couldn't deny the fact that he knew some cops went undercover, he had that basic knowledge.

"You're lucky she's still alive," Esposito added for emphasis. He and Ryan simply stared the guy down. It was all over.

"I didn't mean..." Gray started. "I had no..." He couldn't utter a coherent sentence. He kept looking back and forth between Esposito and Ryan, not knowing exactly what to say. Knowing the gig was up for good, he thought it was best to cave in. No use fighting a cop when they had the evidence against you. "All right, it was me," Gray finally confessed to the hit and run.

When Gray made that statement, even though it had been a week, Beckett felt uplifted. Physically, she was still healing, but mentally and emotionally, she felt completely healed, knowing that bastard was getting what he deserved.

Esposito came around and cuffed the guy as he stood up. Ryan opened the door and the three of them left the interrogation room to take him into the holding pen.

Castle opened the door for Beckett and let her go through. She came out at the same time as Gray was, and they saw each other. Beckett could see the defeat in his face, and Gray couldn't keep himself to look at her for more than a few seconds, knowing what he had done to her.

Esposito and Ryan took him back to the holding pen, while Beckett and Castle just watched from right outside the observation room door.

Beckett and Castle were delighted the guy was going to serve time. Castle showed his expression more than Beckett, but they could tell how the other one felt just in expression and body position.

Castle was the first one to speak up after a small pause. "So, what do you wanna do?"

"I dunno, Castle," Beckett answered. She had to think a little about it, and her expresssion clearly showed.

"You know, now that's it's been a week, you can start working again," Castle pointed out. "I wouldn't be disappointed if you wanted to stay." He knew how much Beckett liked working at the precinct, and he wasn't about to hold her back now when she had the opportunity now.

While Beckett forgot about the whole week off from work, she wasn't completely comfortable with the prospect of coming back just now. With what just happened with Gray, she thought maybe another day would be good for her to come back.

"I think I wanna go home," Beckett replied, not even realizing that she was calling Castle's apartment her "home." In a sense, though, it was her home away from home now; it was her recovery home.

"Okay," Castle returned, smiling a little at what Beckett had just said. "Let's go," he said, and the two of them strolled on over to the elevator.


	11. Chapter 11

Now we're getting back to some fun stuff. This is another Alexis/Beckett chapter. I know I have the other one, but this one I already had kind of planned in the story line, and the first one just kind of... happened. I particularly enjoyed writing this chapter because of Beckett. There's also a little hidden reference to another movie that I love. You can take a cookie if you figure out what the reference is. No, you do not need to leave a review or anything; I trust you will figure it out if you do. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Eleven

Beckett had gotten up and walked downstairs to make herself breakfast. Now that she was feeling better, she wanted to take a little more responsibility for herself, even if she was a guest. Having breakfast served in bed was nice, but she needed a little change.

In the mood for a bagel, Beckett popped a bagel in the toaster. She then grabbed the orange juice from the fridge and some grapes as well.

While it was a school day, Alexis did not need to go in; it was a scheduled day off. Her school had raised a ton of money from their magazine drive, so as a reward, they got today off.

Alexis had gotten up and came down to grab breakfast when she saw Beckett was making her own. "Hey Beckett," Alexis greeted as she grabbed a couple Eggo waffles to pop in the toaster when Beckett was done with her bagel.

"Hey Alexis," Beckett replied. She knew it was a school day, but it was getting late for Alexis to be leaving. "No school today?" Beckett inquried.

"Nope," Alexis said with a small grin. While on the topic of school, Alexis added, "Thanks for helping with English, by the way. That was a big help!"

"Anytime," Beckett responded with a small grin of her own. Alexis was a smart cookie, but was honest when she needed some help or guidance. She really appreciated that about Alexis, which was why she admired her, even more so because she was a teenager.

Castle had finally stirred from the couch. "I hear voices!" he said with eagerness as he did a semi-jog to the kitchen.

"Hey Dad," Alexis said.

"Morning Alexis," Castle kissed the top of her head. "Morning Beckett," he smiled.

"Morning Castle," Beckett spread the cream cheese on her now toasted bagel. Alexis had now gotten up to put the Eggo waffles in the toaster for her share.

Castle's cell phone went off, saying he had a call coming in. He picked it up, not even having to see who it was. "Hey!" Castle answered. "So, we're still on? ... All right!" Castle hung up with a childish grin spreading across his face. "I'm goin' to hang out with some of my pals today. Haven't seen 'em in a while. See you two later!" Castle then looked down on himself. "But first, I should probably change."

Alexis and Beckett chuckled. Castle went upstairs to get changed into a casual outfit before heading out the door. Martha was nowhere to be seen or heard, so both Alexis and Beckett treated the apartment as if it were just the two of them, knowing Martha would make an entrance if there was the slightest hint she was there.

Once done with eating breakfast, both Alexis and Beckett made their way over to the couch. Alexis wanted to talk to Beckett about something, only it wasn't really her territory, per say, which made the discussion difficult to bring up. Luckily, Beckett said a comment that made the segue much easier than she anticipated.

"Ya know, Castle has been quite nice to me this past week," Beckett remarked out loud, almost to herself. "Not like the ten-year-old I'm used to seeing at the precinct."

"Oh yeah, Dad cares about the women in his life," Alexis commented. "Just like you care about him..." slipped out of her mouth.

Beckett got a little defensive at that last comment. "What do you mean?" she inquired of Alexis.

"Oh, I've seen the way you look at him," Alexis replied. "Your small glances here and there, a sudden turn if he catches you..." She paused a little, allowing Beckett to answer.

Beckett didn't know what to say at first. She wasn't expecting a comment like that from Alexis, partly because she didn't really notice it all that much in herself, let alone from someone else. "Well... maybe... it's because I've been staying here for so long," Beckett finally answered.

Alexis looked at Beckett, just simply nodding her head. "Uh huh..." She started. "So tell me, Beckett, are you like that all the time when you stay over at someone's house?"

Beckett paused, which told Alexis everything she needed to know. Ever since Beckett had temporarily moved in, she could see something developing between the two. It wasn't the same pace or anything, but something was there, but neither of them seemed to notice, and if they did, they didn't want to acknowledge it.

"So tell me, Beckett, how do you feel?" Alexis questioned Beckett. While she left it open-ended for her to say how she felt about anything, she was more implying the previous topic that left Beckett kind of speechless.

Beckett took a bit of a breath before anything continued. She could tell that Alexis was asking her about Castle, and she had to reflect on it a little. Sure, Castle acted like a young child around the precinct and at crime scenes, but at home, he was a sweet man. Sure, some of his silliness still existed, but she could tell he was a caring man. Certainly there was more to him than she realized, and Beckett kind of liked that, exploring Castle's home life more in a comfortable manner. Being a detective, Beckett noticed just about everything, except her own feelings. The more she reflected, the more she realized her feelings for Castle were growing a little. At work, he started being a pain, but then she grew to tolerate him. Now, she appreciated his presence, and liked having him around. It wasn't until she started staying there for recovery that something else started running a little deeper.

Once Beckett was done reflecting a little, she started talking. "Castle is really a nice guy. I guess I just never realized it before until now."

"Yeah," Alexis interrupted a little.

"I've never really seen him act like such a gentleman for a period of time like this," Beckett continued. "It's... different," she finally came up with, not knowing what adjective to use.

Alexis could see the look in her eyes. There was something more, but Beckett wasn't revealing. The way her head turned down a little and to the side, the small grin that was begging to crack... Alexis was thinking there may be something there that wasn't there before.

Beckett's gears were starting to turn a little. She never thought she would be having a conversation like this with Alexis, but for some reason, it just felt right; it felt natural, almost. Alexis was a sweet girl, and Beckett could trust her, especially since she was so reliable for her volunteering effort at the precinct.

"What are you thinking?" Alexis asked. It was the only question she could think of, and at this point, the ball was in Beckett's court. If she wanted to share information, she would.

Beckett cast a small glance down. There was something sweet, and almost kind about Castle. While it was new and a bit alarming, for some reason, she was okay with the idea. And while sharing her feelings wasn't a big thing for her, it was just something that seemed appropriate to do in the moment.

"I'm thinking that Castle is a nice guy, and..." She halted a little before saying the next part in a hushed tone that was barely audible to anyone else: "I think I like him."

Alexis leaned in a little to try and understand what Beckett was saying. She couldn't hear it, though, so she asked her to repeat it. "What did you say?"

"I think I like him," Beckett said in a slightly louder and more audible tone.

Alexis started grinning, thinking she knew what Beckett meant. She looked into Beckett's eyes, and her look said it all: Beckett was falling for her dad.


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, this may be a short chapter, but maybe it's because Beckett is just more descriptive than Castle is... Or maybe it was simply the season finale. I did not feel like writing much after that, even though I loved the episode... Ah well. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Twelve

Castle came in through the front door, grocery bags in tow. It was errand day for him, and he had been out all morning, doing all sorts of things.

Martha was relaxing on the couch, having a bit of an uneventful day herself. Upon hearing the front door open, she turned her head toward the sound.

"Hello darling," Martha called out, waving her hand in the air as Castle closed the door.

"Hello Mother," Castle replied as he crossed his way to the kitchen. He set the bags down on the counter when he noticed something. "Where's Beckett?" he asked out loud. Something didn't feel right, not having her in the apartment.

"She's at the precinct," Martha answered, having crossed paths with her in the morning.

"Oh," Castle responded as he started putting the groceries away himself, no thanks to Martha staying put. When he was done, he grabbed a glass of water and sat down on the couch.

Martha put down the play she was reading and looked at Castle. Something was on his mind, and it wasn't the first time, she felt; she had seen that look before.

"Something on your mind?" Martha asked him.

"No," Castle responded as if it were reflex.

Martha kept her steady and loving gaze on him. She could tell something was bothering him, and whether he liked it or not, he needed to talk about it.

Castle had cast his gaze downwards, but he looked up for a second at Martha. Knowing his mother wasn't returning to her routine, he knew his poker face wasn't working, no matter how hard he tried.

After a little time of neither side giving in, Martha decided to speak up. "What's wrong kiddo?" she inquired as she reached out and patted Castle's knee, facing him more directly.

Once again, Castle wanted to brush Martha off, but he knew he couldn't. Not when she used the word "kiddo."

"It's Beckett," Castle simply stated as he shifted himself to face Martha more, and once again, cast his gaze down.

Martha could tell Castle was shielding himself a little. Normally, this wasn't like him, and yet, Martha could tell why this was happening; it was just a matter of him opening up.

"Oh yeah? What about her?" Martha asked.

For some reason, that was the question that made Castle want to start opening up. He didn't know why, and he didn't know how, but Martha hit Castle's nerves in just the right way that he had to start letting it out.

"I like having her here," Castle started, bringing his gaze back up. "There's something about her being here that's made me feel... different. In a good way, of course." He paused and took a small sigh. "I dunno, she just makes me feel..." He was trying to search for the right word, but couldn't seem to find it.

"Alive?" Martha filled in the blank. Castle revealed a small smile, acknowleding she had found the right word. Now it was Martha's turn to speak a little. "Look, you care about her, and that's great," she said with a grin. "But with everything you're doing, there's an underlying message, I bet." Castle didn't say a word. "There's something goin' on, and whether or not you see it, others do."

"Someone needed to take care of her," Castle retorted. "She was hurt."

"Yeah, and you could've let someone else do it," Martha replied. "But you were the one who brought her in."

Castle let the pause linger before he continued. "Well I wasn't about to leave her at the hospital."

"Uh huh..." Martha let out, knowing he did have one point, albeit small.

"I dunno, she kinda reminds me off..." Castle's voice trailed off a little, his gaze set off in the distant, as if he were recalling a memory.

"Kyra Blaine?" Martha filled in again.

"Yeah," Castle replied.

"Kiddo, women like her are hard to find," Martha stated as her wisdom came out. "Don't let this one get away."

"Yeah," Castle replied. A small pause later, he finally admitted: "I like Kate."


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, we're coming to the end of this fanfiction. Sad, but true. There's only a couple more chapters after this one. Regardless, hope you enjoy what this chapter offers!

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Chapter Thirteen

Castle stepped out of the elevator carrying a pizza box. He heard the crew was working hard, and felt like getting them a treat.

Esposito was the first one to smell something. "Pizza?" he said out loud to himself, then turned in the general direction of the elevators. He saw Castle carrying the pizza box and grinned. As Castle set it down on a table, he walked over and gave him a playful smack on the arm, as thanks for doing this. "Thanks bro," he added.

"You're welcome, my friend," Castle replied as he opened up the box, revealing a decadent pizza with all sorts of toppings the crew enjoyed.

Ryan quickly made his way over once the box was open. Beckett was the last to come, but she was just talking with Montgomery, who joined in on the festivities as well.

The fivesome talked casually as they chatted, exchanging fun stories. For Castle, that meant making some silly, but believeable, ones up. For others, it meant telling actual stories of crimes they had solved. Since it had only been a week and a half, though, there weren't many stories to share, unless you got into some of the gory details that brought about their usual dry sense of humor.

"And then the guy said, 'I'm gonna get you for this!'," Ryan said, which got everyone laughing.

When Esposito caught his breath, he finished. "And yet, he's the one who led himself here!" That got everyone laughing with even more hysteria than they already were.

When Beckett had gotten all the laughter out from her system, she stole a glance at Castle. He was a handsome fan with facets that she did not mind. Well, maybe she minded a couple unseen facets about his personality, but still, those pretty blue eyes of his... Beckett wouldn't mind taking a swim in them, that's for sure. She took a sip of water before she turned back to the rest of the group.

Not a moment before Beckett looked away did Castle steal a glance at Beckett as well. He couldn't help but think that she was tough, intelligent, independent, and pretty to boot. Some qualities were in other women he dated, and married, but there were some things about Beckett he never thought he would be attracted to. Maybe it was her hair, there was an almost silken quality about it, he felt...

Castle was caught off guard a little when Montgomery made a wise crack about being a cop back in the day. He turned back to the group and got right back in with the conversation.

Ryan and Esposito had been noticing something going on between Castle and Beckett, and it was more evident this evening than ever before. After Castle and Beckett had been glancing at each other for a bit without the other noticing, Ryan and Esposito exchanged a casual glance themselves at an opportune moment. They saw it, they knew there was something, moreso than usual. They wondered what could have happened to make them more secretly playful, but then they shrugged it off.

Ryan and Esposito excused themselves from the party, as they needed to get home safely. While they were in the elevator, Ryan turned to Esposito.

"Bet ya twenty they confess in the next twenty-four hours," Ryan told Esposito.

"You're on," Esposito replied. In truth, he was hoping that would happen as well, but now that a bet was in order, there was no way he could call the same side.

-x-

Beckett had opened Castle's apartment door for him. He was carrying the pizza box, bringing the leftovers home for them to enjoy later, and it was only fair she helped out.

Castle put the pizza in the fridge, and then turned to Beckett. For at least a minute, not a word was spoken between the two of them. The silence wasn't awkward, though.

Beckett was the first one to speak up. She was kind of tired, anyways, hence why she hadn't really said much. "Well, I'm off to bed," Beckett said to Castle. "Night."

"Until tomorrow," Castle replied as Beckett went up the stairs.

After standing in the kitchen for a few more minutes, he went over to the couch and made his makeshift bed on the couch to go to sleep himself.

A few hours later, Castle woke up in the middle of the night. Turns out New York City was having a cold spell that night, and the blankets he had weren't going to keep him any warmer.

He stayed awake on the couch for a few minutes, debating between the two options going back and forth in his mind. Once his mind was made up, he knew he couldn't go back on his decision, not if he wanted a good night's rest.

Beckett had been resting peacefully on the bed. Tonight seemed a tad chilly, so she was glad to cuddle up under the comforter.

At some point in the night, though, she felt something on the other end of the bed through the mattress. She was wondering what was going on at first, and then it hit her: Castle was climbing into bed. She didn't really mind; after all, it was his bedroom and his bed, and since it was a cold night, she could see why he would climb into bed. Her back was to him, so on her end, she secretly smiled.

Castle was glad to get into his warm bed, hoping that Beckett wouldn't mind and not shoot him later. He wasn't going to do anything, just sleep on his end. When he was climbing into bed, though, he did accidentally brush up against Beckett's back. He felt he would be dead for sure in the morning, and yet, he was so comfortable sleeping in the same bed with her, for some reason.

Beckett felt Castle brush up against her. There was something about it that made her warm up inside. Not wanting Castle to know she was alert enough to notice, though, she stayed put. While she went back to sleep, she couldn't help but think how at ease she felt Castle being in the same bed, even if only for a chilly night.


	14. Chapter 14

I can't believe my first fanfiction is coming to an end! Alas, there is only one more chapter after this one, to bring closure to the original plot. However, my whole goal of writing this fanfiction ends in this chapter. I really had fun writing this one, especially towards the end, so I hope you enjoy it!

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Chapter Fourteen

The next morning, Castle got up shortly after Beckett. Castle was in the mood to do a little writing that morning, so he thought he would jump on the opportunity and do so; it wasn't just from the good sleep, though. He had been craving a time to write, and only now did it actually come out.

"I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna go ahead and do a little writing," he told Beckett as he cleared his breakfast plates and put them in the dishwasher.

"No, not at all," Beckett replied. "You need to work," she spoke in an almost broken kind of manner, even if the thought was clear in her mind. With that, Castle went off to his office to continue writing the book _Naked Heat_.

Meanwhile, Alexis had come down, all dressed and ready to go out and hit the city.

"Hey Kate," Alexis greeted as she made sure everything in her purse was all ready and set to go.

"Hey Alexis," Beckett returned the greeting. Ever since their talk, Beckett felt even closer to Alexis, which was something she appreciated.

A few seconds later, Alexis' cell phone went off. Just as she thought, it was her friends, ready and waiting for her outside the building for a fun day of shopping. They were calling to let her know they were there. They had been planning this day all week, and her dad knew all about it.

Looking into her dad's study, Alexis found him typing away at his laptop. "I'm going out with my friends now. Love you," she said as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Love you," Castle replied as he saw his little girl going out.

As Alexis was putting her coat on, she said her bye to Beckett before heading out the door.

Beckett watched Castle typing from his laptop. He seemed to be zoned in on his typing, but at the same time, she felt there was something she needed to talk to him about. Something important that had been on her mind for a few days now, and it was nagging to be discussed.

About half an hour passed before Beckett finally walked her way over to Castle.

Castle was focused on his typing, but noticed when Beckett had made his way over. Wanting to show respect, he quickly finished typing up his last sentence and turned to face Beckett.

"Can I talk with you?" Beckett inquired of Castle.

Castle saw the serious look on her face and knew he couldn't ignore it now. "Sure," he replied as he closed his laptop and followed her out into the common area.

Castle and Beckett stood for a couple minutes in what felt like awkward silence. Beckett knew she was the one who asked to talk, so it was only fair she started.

"Castle, thank you so much for allowing me to stay here," Beckett started. "I've been having a great time."

"I'm glad to hear it," Castle answered. "You know you're welcome here anytime."

"I know," Beckett replied. She turned her head down a little, gathering her thoughts for a quick second before continuing on with the conversation. "I've learned quite a bit in staying here the past couple weeks." She paused, almost as if holding back on saying what she had learned. Not just about Castle's family, but herself as well.

"Like what? Care to share?" Castle asked. While he knew Beckett was more a quiet person when it came to her personal life, he thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Well, I've definitely learned more about your family dynamic," Beckett started, "and how close you are with Alexis. Not that I didn't already know," she immediately added. "But it's been nice," she finished that section.

"Yeah," Castle threw in his two cents. "We're pretty close."

After a small pause, Beckett casually threw out there, "I've also been learning a bit about myself, actually."

"Oh really?" Castle questioned. Now he was getting a bit curious himself, about where this whole conversation was going and whey Beckett wanted to have it.

"Yeah," Beckett responded. Now she was getting into what she wanted to talk with Castle about. She was so close, and yet, it was almost scary for her at the same time, like she wasn't ready to tell him. Then again, if she really wasn't ready, she wouldn't have asked him to talk minutes ago when he was so focused on his writing. At this point, it was now or never. "In learning more about you , I've learned quite a bit about myself as well."

Castle didn't quite know where Beckett was taking this, but he was going with it, hoping it was in the direction he wanted to head as well. "How so?" he asked.

Beckett had to think a little about her response. It had to be worded in the right way; if said in another way or with another tone, it would have a completely different meaning than the one intended, and that's not what she was looking for in this moment, not when it was becoming so tender for her.

"Well, I learned that citrus is good for a strong immune system," Beckett joked a little, wanting to break the ice a little before she took a big risk. That earned a good chuckle from both her and Castle. Beckett took one last big breath before she continued. " I also learned that... I like you," Beckett said with a hushed tone at the end.

"What?" Castle asked, not hearing the last part clearly.

After getting it out of her system in some way in front of Casle, Beckett now felt more comfortable. Beckett also realized, standing there in front of Castle, like was not the correct word to use for her true feelings.

"I love you Rick."

For one of few times in his life, Castle was speechless. The look on his face was part surprise and part joy, with the surprise melting away as he looked into Beckett's eyes, which truly were mesmerizing. It was at that moment that Castle finally found the words stuck in his throat that he really wanted to say.

"I love you too Kate."

For a few seconds, Castle and Beckett just stood there, staring longingly into each other's eyes. Then, a split second later, they were in each other's embrace, kissing each other with a passion for each other that could not be said with words.


	15. Chapter 15

So, this is it! This is the final chapter to wrap things up! I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this fanfiction, since I have had a blast writing it. It's sad to see my first work of fanfiction come to an end, but all good things must. This journey has been amazing, and hopefully, my fanfiction will only continue to get better!

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Chapter Fifteen

Beckett's phone went off as her alarm. Today was a doctor's appointment, as a follow-up to see how her recovery was coming. She had been seeing them over the past couple weeks, but today was an important appointment. If her recovery was going as smoothly as they wanted it to be, then she would be able to go back to her place.

Normally, waking up to this day would have brought her some joy, since she would be going back to her own place. Having revealed her true feelings to Castle, though, she was having mixed feelings today, something she never would have expected.

Nonetheless, Beckett got up and changed. She made sure her suitcase was in top shape, expecting to go home today.

When Beckett arrived downstairs, though, she could not believe that there was a delicious breakfast laid.

"Morning Kate," Castle greeted her as she came to the counter.

"Morning Rick," Beckett replied. Ever since their confession, both of them had been much more casual, not minding calling each other on a first-name basis now.

"Figured since this is your last day here, you might as well have a delicious parting breakfast," Castle continued. On the counter, by an empty plate, there was an empty gun mug. Castle went and reached for the coffee pot. "Coffee?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Beckett replied. Castle proceeded to pour some coffee in the gun mug. As Castle was putting the coffee pot away, Beckett asked, "Where did you get this mug?"

"Urban Outfitters," Castle answered. "I saw it and it made me think of you. It's yours to keep."

Beckett felt her cheeks flush a little at the thought of the gift. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Castle replied.

Once the bacon was done cooking, Castle put the breakfast food out on the counter. Available to eat were scrambled eggs, bacon strips, belgian waffles, and some grapefruit wedges. Beckett took a little of everything, as did Castle.

When the two were done with breakfast, it was time to head over to the hospital. Even though it was two weeks and she would probably be allowed to go home, Beckett still left her suitcase at Castle's place.

Dr. Davis came out to the waiting area when he was ready to see Beckett. He spotted the two of them, and walked right over to them. "You ready?" Dr. Davis asked Beckett.

"Yes," Beckett replied as she stood up out of the chair. Together, they walked off, ready to do the two-week inspection.

Castle stayed in the waiting area. If it was anything like previous inspections, it shouldn't take too long. While waiting, he played with his iPhone apps a little, to pass the time.

When the inspection was over, Beckett and Dr. Davis walked out. At first, it made Castle nervous, but then he saw they were chatting small talk, smiling in the process.

"She's good to go home," Dr. Davis told Castle. "You've done a wonderful job taking care of her."

"That's because she's a wonderful patient," Castle responded as he put his arm around Beckett's waist and gave a gentle squeeze. Beckett gave a playful smile in return.

"Well, at this point, there's nothing more I need to say, so you're free to go," Dr. Davis told the two. As they walked out of the hospital, he couldn't help but notice how smitten the two were. Whatever state they were in two weeks ago when Beckett was brought in, they were clearly past that stage now. Any doctor, including Dr. Davis, could have written them up as being bit by the love bug.

-x-

Beckett unlocked the door to her place. It was nice coming back home after two weeks, even if she did enjoy herself at Castle's place. She wheeled her suitcase into her room and unzipped it.

Castle saw Beckett unpacking all by herself, and even though he knew it was her stuff, he thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. "Need any help?" he said as he stood in the door frame. He didn't want to impose himself, though, and if she didn't want him there, he would go back out on the couch.

Beckett looked up to see Castle standing at the door frame. For some reason, his pose seemed very familiar, and then it hit her: It was the exact same pose that Castle had right after they solved their first case together, when he was signing on to shadow her. Back then, it made her very uncomfortable, but now, it made her heart flutter with excitement. "Sure," Beckett replied after a small pause for a few seconds. Together, they talked as Beckett instructed Castle as to where certain items went. Namely, Castle put away her books, but it was nice to have an extra set of hands.

Once done, the two headed back out to the front door. Beckett stopped for a moment by the couch, though, and Castle joined her.

"Thanks again for letting me stay at your place," Beckett started. "I really did enjoy myself."

"You're welcome Kate," Castle replied. He knew she couldn't resist being called by her first name.

Beckett turned her face down a little and smiled a big grin. When she turned her head back up to look him in the eyes, the grin was still there, but smaller than it was initially.

"Rick, you're a great guy," Beckett said, "and I'm glad we got our feelings out." They had been walking slowly to the door, and by now, they were standing in the door frame, Castle on the outside.

"Me too," Castle responded.

Before Castle had a chance to walk away, and have the next time they see each other be at the precinct, Beckett pulled him into a sweet, goodbye kiss.

When the kiss was done, both Castle and Beckett were simply content with where they were. Castle knew he had to get going, though. "See you at the precinct?"

"Yeah," Beckett replied. She still had a few things she needed to do before she went off herself, so she shut the door. Before starting on those things, she leaned her back against the door, and bit her lip in a happy smile. Something was going right with her life, and she wanted to go with it.


End file.
